Bachelor of Social Work

Home > Study with us > Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Economics, Development and Business Sciences > School of Social Sciences > Bachelor of Social Work

Programme Description

The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) is a four-year professional degree offered on a full-time basis. The programme identifiers are Council for Higher Education (CHE: H/H23?E061CAN) and South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA: 12440). In addition to Social Work modules, students are required to choose different second major and elective modules from first year to third year of study. In the fourth-year students focuses on the BSW major modules only. At the beginning of their second year of study, BSW students must complete Form 30 of the NCPR and register as Student Social Workers with the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP).  
The sixteen (16) core Social Work knowledge and Nine (9) competencies which guide teaching and learning of BSW in UMP are as follows:

BSW Sixteen Core Social Work Knowledge areas

  1. Comparative welfare policies in respect of the residual, institutional, industrial-achievement and developmental frameworks and their implications for access to social services on the selective-universal continuum.
  2. The developmental social welfare paradigm, which is aimed at integrating micro-, mezzo- and macro-level assessment and intervention; clinical, developmental, therapeutic, preventative and rehabilitative aspects of social work; and the harmonization of social and economic development.
  3. The influence of historical eras, including the eras of colonialism and apartheid, on welfare service delivery and on the history of social work in South Africa.
  4. The transition from apartheid to democracy and its influence on social welfare service delivery and social work.
  5. The demographics, socio-economic development status and linguistic and cultural diversities of South Africa’s peoples.
  6. Structural determinants of poverty and inequality, their manifestations and consequences and possible responses to these.
  7. Relevant international and regional conventions/treatises/declarations and a pertinent range of national policies and legislation.
  8. National, provincial and local structures for the delivery of social welfare services and the role of social work in social welfare policy planning, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
  9. A range of relevant theories, perspectives and models such as eco-systemic theories; critical and radical theories; structural theory; cognitive-behavioural theories; psychodynamic theory.
  10. Human behavior and the social environment, with particular emphasis on the person-in- environment transaction, life-span development and the interaction among biological, psychological, socio-structural, economic, political, cultural and spiritual factors in shaping human development and behaviour.
  11. Service beneficiary assessment, intervention processes, methods and techniques to render preventative, protective, developmental and therapeutic interventions with individuals, families, groups, organisations and communities.
  12. he various fields of service, such as child and family welfare; youth work; statutory social work; mental health; corrections; health; HIV/AIDS; social work in occupational settings; gerontology; forensics; disability; substance abuse and crime prevention.
  13. The ethical requisites of the profession; an appropriate range of ethical theories; and the complexities of ethical decision-making in day-to-day practice.
  14. The self vis-à-vis Professional practice.
  15. Social work management; social work administration and supervision.
  16. Research paradigms/methods, designs and strategies.

BSW Nine Core Competence Areas

  1. The development and consolidation of a professional identity as a social worker.
  2. Application of core values and principles of social work.
  3. Holistic assessment and intervention with individuals, families, groups and communities.
  4. Demonstrated competence in the use of codes of ethics vis-à-vis the moral impulse.
  5. Working with a range of diversities.
  6. Ability to undertake research.
  7. Knowledge, practice skills and theories.
  8. Policy and legislation.
  9. Writing and communication of professional knowledge.

Admission Requirements

  • National Senior Certificate (NSC) (Grade 12) with admission to bachelor’s degree and a minimum APS of 32 or above or equivalent (with English level 4; Maths level 2 / Maths literacy level 3).
  • Have a Matric exemption, if the Matric was completed before 2008, with a minimum of thirty-five (35) points.
  • National Certificate Vocational, NQF Level 4 granting access to bachelor’s degree studies, or
  • Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4 endorsed, or
  • Further Education and Training Certificate: Social Auxiliary Work, NQF Level 4, or
  • Higher Certificate in Social Auxiliary Work, NQF Level 5.
  • Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) or receipt as a proof of application

The requirements for students who would like to apply to the BSW programme using related knowledge and experiences, recognition of prior learning (RPL) and/or wish to transfer from other institutions, credit accumulation and transfer (CAT), the UMP policy on RPL and CAT is applicable and must be followed. Also see G.2.2 and G.2.4 of the UMP Almanac and General Rules.
 

Curriculum & Credits

As per SAQA requirements, the minimum credits for the BSW degree programme are 480 (at NQF Level 8). The UMP BSW programme’s curriculum extends over four academic years of full-time study leading toward a BSW (Bachelor of Social Work) degree and with total credits of 540.Below is the  UMP BSW programme and the expected combination of social work core modules, co-major subjects and foundational modules.

 

Level 1
Module name Code Credits NQF S1/S2
Introduction to Social Welfare and Social Work  BSW 101 12 5 S1
Introduction to Social Work as a Profession BSW 102 12 5 S2
Introduction to the landscape of Social Work BSW 103 12 5 S2
Social work only credits 36    
Foundational modules
End User Computing EUC 111 12 5 S1
Introduction to Narrative Fiction and its Poetics and Introduction to Poetry ENC 102 12 5 S1
Language and Meaning and Introduction to Critical Interpretation ENG 101 12 5 S1
Basic Statistics STAT101 12 5 S2
Non social work co-major subjects. Students take both
Sociology
Introduction to Sociology SOC 101 12 5 S1
Introduction to South African Society SOC 102 12 5 S2
Psychology
Introduction to Psychology PSY 101 12 5 S1
Psychology and Health PSY 102 12 5 S2
Total credits in 1st year 132    
LEVEL 2
Module name Code Credits NQF S1/S2
The Social Work Helping Process BSW 201 12 6 S1
Social Welfare Policy within the South African context BSW 202 12 6 S2
Case Work: Theories, Approaches and Models BSW 211 12 6 S1
Fields of Social Work Practice BSW 212 12 6 S2
Social Work Practical Case Work Placement BSW 221 10 6 S1
Social Work Practical Case Work Placement BSW 222 10 6 S2
Social work only credits 68    
Non social work co-major subjects. Students take both
Sociology
Classical Sociological Theory SOC 201 15 6 S1
Social Change SOC 202 15 6 S2
Psychology
Developmental and Personality Psychology PSY 201 15 6 S1
Cognition and Research Design Analysis PSY 202 15 6 S2
Total credits: 2nd year level 128    
LEVEL 3
Module name Code Credits NQF S1/S2
Group work: Theories, Approaches and Models BSW 301 12 7 S1
Community Work: Theories, Approaches and Models BSW 302 12 7 S1
Child, Youth and Family Care BSW 304 12 7 S2
Research in Social Work BSW 305 12 7 S2
Integrated Social Work Practice – Practical with WIL BSW 303 36 7 YR
Social work only credits 84    
Non social work co-major subjects. Students select one of the two electives and take both semesters
Sociology
Contemporary Sociological Theories in South Africa SOC 301 20 7 S1
Social Research Methodology SOC 302 20 7 S2
OR Psychology        
Child Adolescent and Abnormal Psychology PSY 301 20 7 S1
Counselling Psychology and Psychological testing PSY 302 20 7 S2
Total credits: 3rd year level 124    
LEVEL 4        
Module name Code Credits NQF S1/S2
Integrated Service Delivery in Social Welfare BSW 401 12 8 YR
Social Welfare Macro Policy BSW 402 12 8 S1
Social Work, Management, Administration and Supervision BSW 403 12 8 S2
Statutory Work and Report Writing BSW 404 12 8 S1
Social Work Research Report BSW 405 24 8 YR
Advanced Integrated Social Work Practice BSW 406 60 8 YR
BSW only credits 132    
Total credits in 4th year   132    
Total credits for degree   516    

In the table herein following, are the UMP BSW module outcomes. 
 
Module Name and Descriptors
BSW 101 [S1]: Introduction to Social Welfare and Social Work is a first-year theory module (12 credits).
It introduces students to Social Work by focusing on themes that help them understand the background and practice context of the discipline.
BSW 102 [S2]: Introduction to Social Work as a Profession is a first-year theory module (12 credits).
It introduces students to developmental welfare policy in South Africa; the general approaches of social work and the concept of helping as a planned and purposeful process of maintaining ethical and effective helping relationships.
 
BSW 103 [S2]: Introduction to the landscape of Social Work is a first-year practical social work module (12 credits).
It provides exploratory lessons and discussions on self-awareness, life skills and an overview of social matters affecting students’ everyday life.
 
BSW 201 [S1]: The Social Work Helping Process is a second-year theory module (12 credits).
It focuses on the integrated approach in Social Work practice and casework as a method of intervention in the profession.
 
BSW 211 [S1]: Case Work: Theories, Approaches and Models is a second-year theory module (12 credits).
It highlights the importance of professional client assessment in the Social Work context as well as the critical role of theories, approaches, and models within interventions.
 
BSW 221 [S1]: Social Work Practical Case Work Placement is a second-year practical work module (12 credits).
It prepares students for professional practice in Social Work. The module exposes students to the critical knowledge and skills required in case work interventions.
 
BSW 212 [S2]: Fields of Social Work Practice is a second-year theory module (12 credits).
It is geared towards enhancing social work students’ knowledge on areas of specialisation in the discipline and profession.
 
BSW 202 [S2]: Social Welfare Policy within the South African context is a second-year theory module (12 credits).
It is designed to deal in detail with the broad perspective to policy development. It will also enable students to gain or develop knowledge on how policy informs social work practice.
 
BSW 222 [S2]: Social Work Practical Case Work Placement is a second-year practical work module (12 credits).
It equips students with the knowledge, skills, and techniques to handle individual, couple and family cases. Students are prepared to develop and maintain professional relationships with the client systems.
 
BSW 302 [S1]: Group work: Theories, Approaches and Models is a third-year theory module (12 credits).
It equips students with the skills and knowledge needed to operate effectively with groups using the developmental approach in social work practice. It enables application of various theories, approaches and techniques to group work.
 
BSW 303 [S1]: Community Work Methods of Intervention is a third-year theory module (12 credits).
It equips students with the skills and knowledge needed to operate effectively in communities using the developmental approach in social work practice. It enables application of various theories, approaches, models and techniques within community work.
 
BSW 304 [S2]: Child, Youth and Family Care is a third-year theory module (12 credits).
It provides students with an understanding framework of how relevant legislation and policies address child, youth and family care in an effort to bring about social justice and enhance human development.
 
BSW 305 [S2]: Research in Social Work is a third-year theory module (12 credits).
It provides the knowledge, skills, understanding of ethics and process that are needed in conducting research in the field of social work. The module will prepare the students to compile an academically written research report.
 
BSW 306 [Y]: Integrated Social Work Practice – Practical with WIL is a practical work module offered (20 credits).
It provides Student Social Workers with practical exposure to social work practice.
 
BSW 401 [YR]: Integrated Service Delivery in Social Welfare is a fourth-year theory module (24 credits).
It focusses on critical examination of trends and statistics, theories, plans, policies, and factors that contribute towards structural inequality and exclusion in society.  The roles played by human rights, politics and policies of green social work are also examined
BSW 402 [S1]: Social Welfare Macro Policy is a fourth-year theory module (12 credits).
It focusses on equipping students with advanced knowledge about macro social welfare and social work policy within a global, regional and local context. 
 
BSW 403 [S2]: Social Work, Management, Administration and Supervision is a fourth-year theory module (12 credits).
It serves to prepare students to ethically manage professional relationships, available resources, compile a business plan and funding proposal as well as effectively utilise supervision to enhance social work service delivery.
 
BSW 404 [S1]: Statutory Work and Report Writing is a fourth-year theory module (12 credits).
It focuses on the implementation of legal prescripts in social work services and court procedures. It also equips students with knowledge to challenge structural sources of poverty, inequality, oppression, discrimination, and exclusion.
 
BSW 405 [Y]: Social Work Research Project Report is a fourth-year research project module (24 credits).
It is about undertaking the actual research and putting together a written research report that is grounded in theories of Social Work and directed through the application of a research design and sound methodologies. 
 
BSW 406 [Y]: Advanced Integrated Social Work Practice is a fourth-year practical work module (60 credits), block-placement.
It focuses on work integrated learning (WIL), geared towards experiential learning through full-time block placement at social service agencies under supervision.

Career Prospects    

The education and training and the practice of Social Work in South Africa, is partly governed by the Social Service Professions Act (Act 110 of 1978).The Bachelor of Social Work degree prepare graduates  to be registered with SACSSP to work as professional social workers. Graduates may choose to work in the public service as social workers, or the private sector or chose to have their own private practice. They may work as employee assistance programme officers (EAP) or later venture into areas of speciality such as clinical, probation, adoption, forensic or occupational social workers . Social workers may be employed in the corporate world to improve employee welfare and benefits. In non-governmental organisations, social workers design, implement, monitor, and evaluate intervention programmes.
 
 

Contact

Dr. Thembelihle Makanya, email, Thembelihle.Makanya@ump.ac.za 
 



Mbombela Campus

Cnr R40 and D725 Roads, Mbombela 1200

Siyabuswa Campus

Bheki Mfundo Drive, Siyabuswa, South Africa

CONTACT US

 

General Enquiries:

Switchboard: 013 002 0001

Email: info@ump.ac.za

 

CONNECT WITH US

 

INFORMATION

 

Application and Registration Information:

Email: studentapplications@ump.ac.za

 

Disclaimer | Privacy Statement | PAIA Manual

 

Social Links